Cover and container combination for seal tight engagement

ABSTRACT

A cover and container combination for enclosing products in an air and/or liquid seal tight engagement comprises a cover with a rim portion defining an inverted U-shaped cross-section consisting of an inner horizontal wall and a pair of opposite inner vertical side walls, the inner horizontal wall displaying a downwardly extending continuous rib. The container has a side wall with an upper edge consisting of a top wall and a pair of opposite side walls, the top wall of the container displaying a continuous recess. The width of the rib is slightly greater than the width of the recess so as to provide a tight sealing fit when the rib is received in the recess when the cover is engaged to the container.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention pertains to the combination of a cover and of a container for enclosing products in an air and/or liquid seal type engagement.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Many combinations of covers and containers have been devised in order to secure in a seal tight fashion products inside a covered container.

OBJECTS AND STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0003] It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved combination of a container and its cover for enclosing products in an air and/or liquid seal tight engagement

[0004] The combination of the present invention comprises a cover with a rim portion defining an inverted U-shaped cross-section consisting of an inner horizontal wall and a pair of opposite inner vertical side walls, the inner horizontal wall displaying a downwardly extending continuous rib. The container of the combination has a side wall with an upper edge consisting of a top wall and a pair of opposite side walls, the top wall of the container displaying a continuous recess. The width of the cover rib is slightly greater than the width of the container recess so as to provide a tight sealing fit when the rib is received in the recess when the cover is engaged to the container.

[0005] In one preferred form of the invention, the top wall of the upper edge and the inner wall of the cover are spaced from one another to define an air gap that provides a compression chamber therebetween when the cover is in a seal tight engagement with the container.

[0006] Other objects and further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. It should be understood, however, that this detailed description, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, is given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007]FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a cover and container combination made in accordance with the present invention;

[0008]FIG. 2 is an elevational exploded view showing parts of the cover and of the container; and

[0009]FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, there is shown a combination of a container, generally denoted 10, adapted to be securely engaged to a cover generally denoted 12. The container has a bottom wall 14, a tapered circular side wall 16 and an upper edge 18. The upper edge consists of a top wall 20 and a pair of opposite side walls 22 and 24. The top wall 20 defines a continuous peripheral recess 26 having a given width and depth.

[0011] The outer side wall 24 of the container has an inwardly horizontal portion 26, the function of which will be described further hereinbelow.

[0012] The cover 12 has a circular central portion 30 and a peripheral rim portion 32. The rim portion 32 has a downwardly and outwardly inclined skirt 34 defining therewithin with an inner wall 36 an inverted U-shaped cross-section that includes an inner top wall 38 and a pair of opposite short side walls 40 and 42. The horizontal inner wall 38 has a downwardly projecting continuous rib 44 with a given width and height.

[0013] Referring to FIG. 3, the given width of the rib 44 is slightly greater than the given width of the recess 26 so as to provide a tight fit between the cover and container when engaged to one another. Preferably, the cover and container are made of resilient plastic material, such as polyethylene or polypropylene, which will enable a slightly forceful penetration of the rib 44 into the recess 26.

[0014] The inner wall of the skirt 34 has a shoulder 46 (see FIG. 2) which serves to receive the horizontal extension 28 of the outer wall 24 of the cover. When the wall 28 rests on shoulder 46 as illustrated in FIG. 3, the depth of the recess 26 is slightly greater than the height of the rib 44 so as to leave an air gap 50 which acts as a compression chamber. Similarly, in an engaged cover/container arrangement, there is an air gap 52, 54 provided between the top wall 20 of the container and the inner wall 38 which act also as compression chambers.

[0015] There therefore results an improved air and/or liquid seal type engagement between the cover and the container for the products contained in the container.

[0016] Although the invention has been described above with respect to one specific form, it will be evident to a person skilled in the art that it may be modified and refined in various ways. For example, the cover-container combination of a circular shape described above is similarly applicable to a cover-container combination of a square shape. It is therefore wished to have it understood that the present invention should not be limited in scope, except by the terms of the following claims. 

1. A cover and container combination for enclosing products in an air and/or liquid seal tight engagement comprising: (a) a cover having a central portion and a rim portion, said rim portion defining an inverted U-shaped cross section consisting of an inner horizontal wall and a pair of opposite inner vertical side walls, said inner horizontal wall displaying a downwardly extending continuous rib having a given width and height; and (b) a container having a bottom wall, a side wall and an open end adapted to be closed by said cover; said side wall of said container having an upper edge consisting of a top wall and a pair of opposite side walls; said top wall of said container displaying a continuous recess having a given width and depth; said given width of said rib being slightly greater than the given width of said recess so as to provide a tight sealing fit when said rib is received in said recess when said cover is engaged to said container.
 2. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said top wall of said upper edge and said inner wall of said cover are spaced from one another thereby defining an air gap to provide a compression chamber therebetween when said cover is in a seal tight engagement with said container.
 3. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said given height of said rib is slightly smaller than said given depth of said recess so as to provide an air gap between said rib and said recess when said cover is in a seal tight engagement with said container.
 4. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein an outermost wall of said opposite walls of said cover displays an inwardly extending shoulder and wherein an outermost wall of said opposite walls of said inner edge displays an inwardly horizontal portion which rests on said shoulder when said cover is in a seal tight engagement with said container.
 5. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said opposite walls of said container are in contact with corresponding opposite side walls of said rim portion of said container to further assist in the sealing engagement of said cover with said container.
 6. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said cover and said container are made of polyethylene.
 7. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said cover and said container are made of polypropylene. 